Using my Fantom X6 as midi controller in Cubase VST?

J

junkmanistan

New member
Here's my situation:

I'm running Cubase VST 5.1 (ancient, yes, I know) that came with my E-Mu 1820 interface. After recording a bunch of audio tracks, I want to have some real-time control over the basic parameters (track volume, panning, effects on/off, effects parameter changes) during mixdown with a hardware controller. Now I don't own a dedicated midi controller, but I do have a Roland Fantom X6 workstation with midi outs, four assignable knobs and assignable switches (assignable in respect to the Fantom; I guess the "assignability" of these knobs doesn't make much difference when it comes to midi?).

The question is, then, how would I assign these knobs via midi to control the parameters of audio tracks in Cubase? I had tried to do this once with a Korg Microcontroller to no avail and that is supposed to have pre-loaded settings for Cubase!

I'd rather not have to buy a separate midi controller to perform such basic operations...
 
First, download midiox. It's a donation-ware utility that will show you exactly what your Fantom is currently transmitting, if anything, from the assignable sliders. You may need to enable a second layer of midi transmission to get these transmitting continuous controller information which is what you need them to be doing

In my version of Cubase you need to enable external midi control. Read the Cubase manual on how to do this. It probably also has some hints and tips on external mixer control which is what you are trying to do.
 
So let me see if I understand you correctly: Midiox is software that will show me a visual "map" so to speak of where and what kind of midi messages are being sent? Is this like setting up ASIO at all? I'm completely new to midi, so I don't really have a firm grasp on even the basics of how you would set up a midi controller to play soft synths in Cubase or any other software.

Let me ask you this: if I bought a midi controller that has sliders, knobs/dials and buttons like the Evolution series, how would I go about assigning each controlling part to a certain track parameter? Do these things come with proprietary software similar to Midiox that map things out? Or do you have to spend time typing in numbers or code in some midi language to assign everything? I'm wondering if I could use the Fantom in the way I'd like WITHOUT software like Midiox if that would involve deciphering midi language? I can't even find anywhere in Cubase where it gives you the option of mapping midi signals!
 
Let's take this one step at a time.

First, here are links to three good articles on midi basics - part one and part two and part three. They are the best written, easiest to understand articles I have found and you should read them in numerical order because part three deals with continuous controllers, which is what we're dealing with here.

The purpose of Midiox is to show you something that you're not usually able to see - the raw midi data (in hexadecimal if it's a continuous controller) being transmitted by any midi capable instrument. Both your Fantom and a dedicated midi controller like the Evolution send continuous controller or 'cc' data from faders, knobs and buttons. Computer programs, hardware synths and many other midi-equipped devices can utilize this cc data to a lesser or greater degree for changing parameters remotely. If you're satisfied with just the four parameters available from the four assignable sliders on your Fantom you don't need to spend any more money on an Evolution.

As far as getting Cubase to receive cc messages, I'm sure that's well laid out in the manual or in the online help file.
 
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